Category: News

Helping the NTT INDYCAR SERIES kick off the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, INDY NXT by Firestone rejoined the top series for the GMR Grand Prix weekend on the 14-turn road course this past weekend for round three of the INDY NXT Championship program.

With nine cars still signed for the full season, HMD Motorsports entered the weekend with eight drivers after Ernie Francis, Jr. was required to sit out due to injuring his wrist during the race in Barber Motorsports Park. Continuing to heal, Francis is expected to be back in the car next month in Detroit. Returning to the team after missing the last round competing in another series overseas, Josh Pierson was back in the #14 entry while Reece Gold took over the #10 entry for the first time since switching over to HMD Motorsports.

After claiming the past four wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the first two races of the 2023 season, the HMD Motorsports INDY NXT team had a growing confidence heading into the weekend. In a condensed two-day weekend, the series was given limited track time with only one practice session on Friday before heading into qualifying later that afternoon. While the weekend started out strong with HMD pacing practice with Kyffin Simpson setting the fastest time and six drivers in the top-ten, the weekend began to go downhill for the team in qualifying as the drivers struggled to find clear track space to set a fast time.

INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying Results:
4 – Kyffin Simpson
5 – Josh Green
6 – Christian Rasmussen
7 – Josh Pierson
12 – Danial Frost
15 – Reece Gold
16 – Nolan Siegel
18 – Christian Bogle

Taking the green flag on Saturday afternoon, HMD Motorsports drivers made up the mid-field of the series and had their sights set on making up positions and working their way through the field. The race began with two waived-off starts and the track finally went green on lap three. Heading into turn one going five-wide, Christian Rasmussen was able to make a massive jump, moving from sixth to third as Kyffin Simpson was able to hold on to his fourth-place position. Further back in the field, Nolan Siegel began picking off the field, gaining one position every couple of laps for the opening seven laps, moving up from 16th to 13th. On lap seven, Kyffin Simpson was able to make the pass on Rasmussen to take over third. With five laps remaining in the 35-lap race, Rasmussen went side-by-side through multiple turns fighting for fourth, but ultimately came out in fifth.

After a tough start to the season with a tenth-place result in St. Petersburg and a DNF at Barber Motorsports Park, Kyffin Simpson drove a strong race to finish with his first INDY NXT by Firestone podium in third. Josh Green closed the weekend with his career-best INDY NXT by Firestone result and elevated himself to P6 in the championship standings while HMD Motorsports holds four positions in the top-six of the point standings including first, second and third.

While the NTT INDYCAR SERIES turns their focus for the next two weeks for the 107th Indianapolis 500, INDY NXT by Firestone will return to the schedule in three weeks’ time for the Detroit Grand Prix.

Photos: RTD Media

A multi-time victor in the USF Pro Championships, including four race wins, seven podiums, and two pole positions in the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires program, Reece Gold will join HMD Motorsports for the remainder of the 2023 season. Set to pilot the #10 car vacated by Rasmus Lindh, Gold will drive the yellow and black Ticket Clinic branded machine as he looks to add to HMD Motorsports results resume.

“I am excited to join a winning program,” explained Gold. “HMD Motorsports has been one of the teams to beat the past two or three seasons, and I am happy to finally be racing with them, and not against them.”

Gold, who has earned seven wins in the USF Pro Championships in the past three years, including four trips to the top step of the podium in 2022, is an accomplished driver with his eyes set on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Amassing 24 podium results over the same time frame as well as seven pole positions and eight fastest race laps, Gold will join the championship-leading efforts of HMD Motorsports.

Gold continued, “My goal is to do well, but also gain experience for the 2024 season. With HMD Motorsports, I know the podium is attainable and my learning curve with the engineering team and a big driver lineup will be accelerated.”

“We spoke to Reece in June of 2022, but he chose to go a different direction,” added HMD Motorsports General Manager Mike Maurini. “Rather than get upset about his decision and burn a bridge, we kept the door open for the future, and we welcome him to the HMD Motorsports family.”

With a test set for May 8 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Reece Gold, HMD Motorsports, and the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone grid will return to race action next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Grand Prix Weekend, May 12-13.

Nearly two months since the last INDY NXT by Firestone race, HMD Motorsports returned to the paddock with a few changes to their driver lineup this past weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. Down to eight cars for the weekend after the departure of Rasmus Lindh, HMD Motorsports also brought in returning driver Toby Sowery as a replacement for Josh Pierson who was racing in the World Endurance Championship in Belgium.

After bringing home one win, two podiums, and seven top-ten results from the Streets of St. Petersburg, HMD was eager to return to the top step of the podium and continue their excellence in Birmingham. As the team to beat, HMD had won the past three races at Barber Motorsports Park.

Starting the weekend off strong, HMD finished both practice sessions with drivers in the top-four positions with Christian Rasmussen and Nolan Siegel each leading a practice. In qualifying, Christian Rasmussen again topped the charts and broke the track record that was previously held by Linus Lundqvist with HMD Motorsports in 2022. Locking out the front row, Nolan Siegel qualified in second.

INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying Results:

• 1 – Christian Rasmussen
• 2 – Nolan Siegel
• 5 – Toby Sowery
• 6 – Kyffin Simpson
• 8 – Danial Frost
• 11 – Josh Green
• 16 – Christian Bogle
• 18 – Ernie Francis, Jr.

Leading the field to green on Sunday afternoon, Christian Rasmussen was able to get a jump on the lead and Nolan Siegel followed in second. Toby Sowery worked his way forward after slight contact between HMD Motorsports teammate Kyffin Simpson and a fellow competitor as both were forced to pull into pit lane for repairs. In the opening two laps, while drivers made minor mistakes battling for positions, Danial Frost moved up from eighth and to fifth while Josh Green advanced from 11th to sixth. Ernie Francis, Jr. gained four positions and Christian Bogle gained one. On lap seven, Toby Sowery took a trip through the grass, but quickly rejoined the field in sixth and made quick work to get back to fighting for position.

Nearing the halfway point, two non-HMD drivers made contact and brought out a caution period. During the caution period, HMD Motorsports drivers were situated comfortably in the front of the field with Rasmussen and Siegel maintaining the lead while Frost, Green, and Sowery filed in fourth through sixth.

On the restart, with half of the race remaining, Frost began to challenge for third while Sowery made a pass on Green for fifth. One lap later, Frost drove off track moving Sowery and Green up to fourth and fifth while he fell back to seventh. For the next three laps, Frost put the pressure on another driver but was continually blocked. Race Control eventually penalized that driver for blocking and Frost was given a wave-around into sixth. With less than ten laps remaining, the race was halted for a crash that eventually brought a red flag for an extended cleanup. On the restart, with four laps to go, HMD Motorsports covered the top-five positions (Rasmussen, Siegel, Sowery, Green, Frost) and had all seven remaining drivers in the top-ten. For the remaining laps, Frost fought Green for fourth, but with less than four turns remaining on the final lap, the pair made contact and both drivers fell to the back of the field.

HMD Motorsports finished the weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in dominating fashion after leading every session and sweeping the podium with a 1-2-3 finish and seven drivers in the top-ten.

INDY NXT by Firestone Race Results:

• 1 – Christian Rasmussen
• 2 – Nolan Siegel
• 3 – Toby Sowery
• 7 – Christian Bogle
• 8 – Ernie Francis, Jr.
• 9 – Josh Green
• 10 – Danial Frost
• 18 – Kyffin Simpson

Both INDY NXT by Firestone and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will return in two weeks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Grand Prix Weekend, May 12-13.

Photo: RTD Media

After a two-race hiatus from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone is returning to the schedule for their second event of the season this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. While the NTT INDYCAR SERIES has already completed three rounds this season, this will be the first permanent road course of the season for both series. Taking to the flowing turns of the 2.3-mile course, HMD Motorsports is returning to the paddock and bringing a cohort of ten drivers.

In the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, David Malukas has his sights set on podiums after collecting a pair of top-ten results in the past three races. While he has not stood on the podium since last season, Malukas has steadily been racing at the front of the field all season long. With multiple podiums at Barber Motorsports Park – including a win in INDY NXT in 2021 – Malukas is on track for another strong result.

Returning to the INDY NXT lineup, HMD Motorsports will again enter nine drivers with returning drivers Josh Green, Christian Rasmussen, Christian Bogle, Kyffin Simpson, Nolan Siegel, Danial Frost and Ernie Francis Jr. New to the lineup this weekend, Toby Sowery will be filling in for Josh Pierson while Pierson competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship at Spa-Francorchamps. A veteran of the series, Sowery helped lead HMD Motorsports to their first INDY NXT win back in 2019.

With a strong history at Barber, HMD Motorsports has won the past two races at Barber Motorsports Park – with David Malukas winning the second race of a doubleheader weekend in 2021 and Linus Lundqvist taking home the win in 2022. HMD also claimed the three previous pole positions at the track. Last year, Danial Frost was the fastest in both practice sessions but finished just shy of the podium with a fourth-place finish. While they were not racing for HMD Motorsports last season, Kyffin Simpson and Ernie Francis, Jr. both earned top-ten finishes last year with fifth and eighth-place results.

Looking to improve on their 2022 finishes, Christian Rasmussen and Christian Bogle will aim to build off their St. Pete event weekend. With Rasmussen finishing 11^th at Barber Motorsports Park in 2022, but currently fourth in the 2023 Drivers Championship, Bogle will look to overcome a final lap incident from St. Pete seven weeks ago in a race that saw him drive from deep in the field into the top-ten before being caught up in another driver’s incident.

Both Josh Green and Nolan Siegel also raced on the 17-turn circuit last season, however, they were in the USF Pro 2000 Championship. Green picked up a pair of sixth-place finishes while Siegel took home a win in the second race of the weekend.

With seven drivers in the top-ten of the championship, HMD Motorsports plans to continue as the team to beat in INDY NXT by Firestone Championship.

As a development series for young drivers, INDY NXT by Firestone will take to the track ahead of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES all weekend long, beginning with practice on Friday, final practice and qualifying on Saturday and both races on Sunday.

Weekend Schedule – Barber Motorsports Park *All times ET
Friday, April 28
2:40 PM – 3:25 PM | Practice 1 | INDY NXT
3:40 PM – 4:55 PM | Practice 1 | NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Saturday, April 29
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM | Practice 2 | INDY NXT
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Practice 2 | NTT INDYCAR SERIES
2:20 PM – 2:40 PM | Qualifications | INDY NXT
3:00 PM – 4:15 PM | Qualifications | NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Sunday, April 30
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Warmup | NTT INDYCAR SERIES
12:55 PM | Race | INDY NXT
3:00 PM | Race | NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Photo: Penske Entertainment

After a one-year hiatus from the INDY NXT by Firestone grid, Toby Sowery will return to the series and to HMD Motorsports this year for a limited season. Scoring HMD Motorsports’ first victory back in 2019 at the Portland Grand Prix and recently being crowned the 2022 Radical World Finals Champion, Sowery is aiming to get back into open-wheel racing with the potent HMD Motorsports program.

Committed to a five-race program, Sowery will compete at Barber Motorsports Park and both double-header weekends on the Streets of Detroit and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Eager to return to the North American open-wheel scene, Sowery is focused on making the most of his limited time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone paddocks.

“I am incredibly excited to return to INDY NXT with HMD Motorsports,” Sowery said. “The team helped me achieve my first American win back in 2019, and together we went on to take six podiums and third overall in the championship.  It’s been fantastic to watch them grow and develop over the last three years, and I am honored to be back representing them on track.  I was really impressed with the setup at St Petersburg, and I am eager to get to work with the entire team for these five races. I am confident we can return to our winning ways!”

Over the course of the past four years, Sowery has competed in two INDY NXT seasons – first in 2019 and most recently in 2021. In his rookie season, driving for HMD Motorsports, Sowery collected one win and six additional podiums to secure third place in the series championship. Two years later, Sowery returned to the series and added three additional podiums to his resumé.

While HMD Motorsports has continued to grow and progress over the three years since Sowery was last with the team, the goal is to pick up where they left off – on the podium. Leading up to his first race of the season at Barber Motorsports Park, Sowery spent the weekend with HMD Motorsports at the opening event of the season in St. Petersburg, where he familiarized himself with the crew and the improved program.

“Toby is a proven winner in both open-wheel and sports car racing,” explained HMD Motorsports General Manager Mike Maurini. “It is great to see the support that he has from partners and his commitment to return to the top tiers of open-wheel racing in North America. We look forward to integrating him into our efforts and look forward to seeing what he can do in the short term.”

Most recently, Sowery competed in the inaugural Radical World Finals where Radical Motorsports competitors from across the globe gathered in a global Radical family shootout. Racing in the Pro 1500 class, Sowery was fastest in the only practice and went on to win two of the three heat races prior to being named the Radical World Champion.

Photo: HMD Motorsports

In the opening round of the 2023 season this past weekend at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, HMD Motorsports proved they are back and as strong as ever in their third season in the INDYCAR paddock. With nine entries in INDY NXT by Firestone and David Malukas competing for Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, HMD brought home one win, two podiums and eight top-ten results from the Streets of St. Petersburg.

In the INDY NXT paddock, HMD Motorsports filled out nine of the nineteen entries. With nearly half of the field, HMD Motorsports was collecting over double the amount of data and driver feedback than any other team in the series. In the opening practice session, HMD came out strong finishing the session with drivers in the second through seventh positions, led by series rookie Nolan Siegel. In the second and final practice, Siegel once again led the team finishing with the fastest time in the session, followed by four other HMD teammates in the top-ten. For qualifying, HMD fell back slightly, but still completed qualifying with drivers filling out the third through seventh positions.

            INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying Results:

            3. Christian Rasmussen

            4. Rasmus Lindh

            5. Kyffin Simpson

            6. Nolan Siegel

            7. Danial Frost

            10. Josh Green

            15. Josh Pierson

            17. Ernie Francis, Jr.

            19. Christian Bogl

With the largest INDY NXT field since 2009, a field comprised of over 50% rookie drivers and taking to the tight turns of a street circuit, the race on Sunday afternoon saw a fair amount of caution laps. In the opening lap, contact between multiple drivers resulted in a three-lap caution, however, all nine HMD Motorsports drivers stayed out of harm’s way. After a restart, the race continued for the next twenty laps without incident as drivers jockeyed for position.

Just past the half-way point, Josh Pierson locked up while entering turn ten, hit the tire barrier, and retired from the race. At the restart, HMD Motorsports held on to the third through seventh positions, while the remaining three drivers filled out the mid-field. After the driver running in second hit the wall in turn three, HMD drivers were able to advance forward and into better podium contention. Following the brief caution, the leader went wide into turn one trying to defend a hard charging Siegel, sliding wide and making room for Nolan and Danial Frost to take over the two lead positions, while Christian Rasmussen followed in fourth. Going into turn four, teammates Josh Green and Kyffin Simpson, along with a third driver, attempted to go three-wide and all ended up in the tires. Green and Simpson were able to restart and continue the lead lap. With time running out, the race switched over to a timed race and restarted with two minutes remaining. On the restart, Frost went around the outside of Siegel in turn two to take over the lead and never look back. With one lap remaining, Frost began to pull away while Siegel, Jacob Abel, and Rasmussen fought for the final two steps on the podium. Racing nose to tail until the end, Danial Frost claimed the first victory of the season followed by Nolan Siegel in the second position. Christian Rasmussen ended up fourth followed by Ernie Francis, Jr. in sixth, Josh Green in seventh, Rasmus Lindh in ninth, Kyffin Simpson in tenth, and Christian Bogle in twelfth.

In the opening weekend of the season, Danial Frost claimed his second career win after gaining six positions, Nolan Siegel finished on the podium for the first time and Ernie Francis, Jr. earned his career-best finish after picking up eleven positions. As the team continued to move forward through the field, HMD drivers gained a total of 31 positions. While many other teams struggled on the 14-turn street circuit, eight of the nine HMD Motorsports drivers finished the race on the lead lap and seven finished inside the top-ten.

            INDY NXT by Firestone Race Results:

            1. Danial Frost

2. Nolan Siegel

4. Christian Rasmussen

6. Ernie Francis, Jr.

7. Josh Green

9. Rasmus Lindh

10. Kyffin Simpson

12. Christian Bogle

DNF. Josh Pierson

In his second season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, David Malukas picked up where he left off last season, finishing the two practice sessions in seventh and eleventh. Going into qualifying, the team missed the set-up and David qualified his #18 Honda in the 16th position. The opening round of the 2023 season consisted of many on-track incidents that resulted in many long caution periods. While Malukas received damage to his front wing in the opening lap incident, he was able to continue in the race. Later, after his front wing made contact with the right-rear tire of another competitor, Malukas was given a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact and was sent to the back of the field. Not ready to give up, Malukas continued to push forward. At the end of the 100-lap race, Malukas came back from a broken front wing and a penalty to earn his first top-ten of the season.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will continue in four weeks for the first oval race of the season at Texas Motor Speedway. INDY NXT by Firestone will rejoin the calendar later in April at Barber Motorsports Park.

The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone season is set to begin this weekend, March 3-5, at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by RP Funding. After a massive off-season expansion, HMD Motorsports will return to the paddock with ten drivers representing the team between the two series, nine in INDY NXT and David Malukas in the NTT INDYCAR Series with Dale Coyne Racing.

Making up just less than half of the INDY NXT by Firestone field, HMD Motorsports is eager to get the 2023 season underway. With a team lineup consisting of seasoned third-year drivers, developing second-year returnees, and eager rookies, the program is filled with the perfect mix of experience and enthusiasm heading into the Streets of St. Pete this weekend.

Christian Bogle and Danial Frost are both entering their third year in the series and are both coming off their strongest seasons to date. With HMD in 2022, Bogle claimed his best INDY NXT result with a fourth-place finish in the Streets of Detroit while Frost had his first taste of victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

No longer rookies, Kyffin Simpson will return for his first full season with HMD while both Christian Rasmussen and Ernie Francis Jr. will race for the team for the first time this coming weekend. After winning back-to-back championships in USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000, Rasmussen ended his first INDY NXT season with two wins and is ready to build on that this season. Up against a competitive field in 2022, Simpson broke into the top-five and will be chasing down his first podium this season, proving his speed in winter testing. In a partnership between HMD Motorsports and Force Indy, Ernie Francis Jr. will reap the benefits of working alongside teammates after a single-car effort last year.

Both Rasmus Lindh and Nolan Siegel have had a taste of INDY NXT, but both drivers are slated to compete for the championship in their first full season this year. Lindh last competed in the series in the final six races of the 2021 season while Siegel began preparing for 2023 early and ran the final two rounds of the 2022 season with HMD Motorsports.

Rounding out the team, Josh Green and Josh Pierson will enter their rookie seasons. Green is continuing to advance up the open-wheel ladder after graduating from the USF Pro 2000 Championship. Pierson spent 2022 competing in LMP2 throughout various series, including the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Asian Le Mans Series, and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

While the off-season brought numerous changes to the series, one of the most notable is the transition to Firestone tires and the changes to team data and setups that come with the change. Bringing together a team of nine drivers, nine engineers, three DAGs, over thirty mechanics, and multiple driver coaches, HMD Motorsports hopes to have an advantage over the competition with an extensive amount of data, knowledge, and feedback from a cohesive team environment.

Looking to start the fourteen-race season strong, HMD Motorsports hopes to continue their streak of bringing fast cars to the Streets of St. Petersburg. In the three races over the past two years (2021 was a doubleheader), HMD has brought home one win and five additional podiums.

As a development series for young drivers, INDY NXT by Firestone will take to the track ahead of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES all weekend long, beginning with practice on Friday, final practice and qualifying on Saturday and both races on Sunday.

David Malukas will also be representing HMD Motorsports in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as he enters his second year in the series with Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports. After a strong finish to his 2022 campaign, the 21-year-old driver gained knowledge and skill throughout the season and will be looking to start strong this weekend. For more information on David Malukas and Dale Coyne Racing, visit DaleCoyneRacing.com.

Weekend Schedule – Streets of St. Petersburg *All times ET
Friday, March 3
1:50 PM – 2:40 PM | Practice 1 | INDY NXT
3:00 PM – 4:15 PM | Practice 1 | NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Saturday, March 4
8:55 AM – 9:45 AM | Practice 2 | INDY NXT
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Practice 2 | NTT INDYCAR SERIES
1:35 PM – 1:55 PM | Qualifications | INDY NXT
2:15 PM – 3:30 PM | Qualifications | NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Sunday, March 5
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Warmup | NTT INDYCAR SERIES
9:50 AM | Race | INDY NXT
12:00 PM | Race | NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Photo: RTD Media

After announcing the complete driver lineup early in the off-season, HMD Motorsports has been hard at work preparing for a successful championship year. While an enlarged HMD Motorsports crew has been busy this off-season preparing to enter nine drivers in INDY NXT^™ by Firestone in the 2023 season, the drivers have been hard at work keeping their skills sharp and gaining additional experience.

As part of their participation with HMD, all nine drivers have memberships and have been receiving customized training from PitFit, a pioneer in the human performance side of the motorsports industry, supporting some of the most well-known drivers and teams worldwide. With their physical training consistently improving, drivers are now taking to the track in additional series to improve their on-track performance.

Encouraged by the team to compete in additional series to increase time behind the wheel, seven HMD Motorsports drivers are set to enter additional series prior to the start of the INDY NXT^™ season – with five drivers currently scheduled to compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January and three drivers in the Asian Le Mans Series in February.

Taking place January 26-29, Josh Pierson, Christian Rasmussen, Kyffin Simpson, Danial Frost, and Rasmus Lindh will all be competing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In the LMP3 class, Rasmus Lindh will race with Andretti Autosport in the #36 entry while Danial Frost will pilot a Ligier JSP320 for MRS GT-Racing. Josh Pierson, Christian Rasmussen, and Kyffin Simpson will be competing in LMP2 – each with a different team. Pierson will be in the #35 TDS Racing entry while Rasmussen will be with Era Motorsports in the #18. INDY NXT^™ driver Kyffin Simpson will be racing the #8 for Tower Motorsports alongside NTT INDYCAR SERIES® drivers Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin.

In February, Christian Bogle, Nolan Siegel, and Kyffin Simpson will be heading to the United Arab Emirates to compete in the two-week, four-event Asian Le Mans Series in the LMP2 class. Taking place from February 11-19, drivers will compete in two four-hour races at both Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina Circuit. Kyffin Simpson will be driving for Algarve Pro Racing while Christian Bogle and Nolan Siegel team up with HMD Motorsports driver coach, Charles “CR” Crews of Inter Europol Competition.

These seven drivers, as well as confirmed entries for Josh Green and Ernie Francis Jr., will be on track at the Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time in 2023 on January 23 for the penultimate INDY NXT^™ by Firestone test before the first race of the season.

While the drivers are beginning their 2023 seasons early, the 2023 INDY NXT^™ by Firestone season will begin March 3-5, 2023 on the Streets of St. Petersburg after two upcoming Firestone Tire test days at the Homestead -Miami Speedway on January 23 and February 27.

For more information on the Rolex 24 at Daytona visit https://www.imsa.com/events/2023-rolex-24-at-daytona/.

For more information on the Asian Le Mans Series visit https://www.asianlemansseries.com/.

Force Indy’s presence throughout INDYCAR paddock areas will expand in 2023, with two drivers running under the program’s banner as part of established teams competing in the ladder system for North America’s premier open wheel racing series.

Ernie Francis Jr. will pilot the No. 99 Force Indy entry as part of HMD Motorsports in Indy Lights. In addition, Myles Rowe will complete the full USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires season in the the No. 99 for Pabst Racing under the Force Indy banner.

“Force Indy already has a lot to celebrate,” said Force Indy Team Owner Rod Reid. “In 2021, we made history as the first African American-owned team and driver to win an INDYCAR-sanctioned race. Now we are aligning ourselves with two championship caliber teams as we seek growth and continued success both on and off the track.”

Force Indy’s original presence was established as a single-car team entry competing in Indy Lights and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship in 2022 and 2021, respectively. However, starting with the upcoming racing season, focus will shift toward establishing a program that sponsors multiple drivers at top teams while fostering additional pathways for diverse talent across the motorsports spectrum.

At HMD Motorsports in 2023, crew members who worked on Francis Jr.’s car during the 2022 season will return in official roles. Reid will continue to mentor both Force Indy drivers, in addition to running the NXG Youth Motorsports program, which annually introduces more than 150 diverse students to career opportunities in the racing world. Francis Jr’s car and equipment from the previous season will transfer to HMD Motorsports as it expands its multi-car team.

In December 2020, African American business leader and former racing team manager Rod Reid partnered with Penske Entertainment’s Race for Equality & Change to establish Force Indy, with a focus on hiring men and women of color, including mechanics, engineers, staffers and drivers. During its inaugural season in the USF2000 Championship, the team won its first race, in thrilling fashion, at New Jersey Motorsports Park with driver Myles Rowe.

Since its inception, Force Indy has delivered upon its vision to grow motorsports ethnically, educationally and across gender. To date, it has introduced several individuals of color to motorsports. The team will continue to focus on developing diverse talent in motorsports.

The rumors of Josh Pierson combining his sportscar effort with some open-wheel racing in North America began a few weeks ago and today, those rumors turned into facts. Inking a deal with the championship-winning HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing program for a campaign in the 2023 Indy Lights series, the 16-year-old Pierson is set to begin his climb towards the pinnacle of open-wheel racing in North America.

“I am excited to start the next chapter of my motorsports career,” expressed an excited Pierson, who turned 16 years of age earlier in 2022. “While I will continue on with United Autosport in WEC (World Endurance Championship), I could not pass up the opportunity to join HMD Motorsports and further my open-wheel racing career in North America.”

Behind the wheel, since he was just two years old, Pierson already has a long list of accomplishments and the young driver’s resume grows more today by becoming a driver for the potent HMD Motorsports efforts.

Pierson has been re-writing the history books for several years, collecting accolades and victories as he progresses towards a professional motorsports career. Josh began racing open-wheel cars just a few years ago at thirteen; at ages fourteen and fifteen, he was the youngest driver on the grid in the Road to Indy’s Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. At the beginning of 2022, he became the youngest driver to participate in IMSA’s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Just two months later, he earned the title of the youngest race winner in the FIA’s World Endurance Championship (WEC) with a victory at the 1000 Miles of Sebring. As of June 2022, Josh became the youngest starter in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished sixth in the LMP2 class and tenth overall.

Now, just one rung of the ladder away from the NTT INDYCAR Series, Pierson is ready to attack North America’s highest level of junior open-wheel racing as the youngest competitor.

Pierson added, “Age is just a number and on the track, we are all racers and competitors. It is not going to be easy, but I have my personal goals set, and the team has goals for me as well. I am ready to get started later this week.”

“Josh has proven himself in all forms of motorsports,” explained HMD Motorsports General Manager Mike Maurini. “For his young age, he has been extremely impressive in the sportscar ranks and shown that he has what it takes to be a champion in every discipline. We welcome him to the HMD Motorsports family and look forward to watching him progress in the future.”

Josh Pierson will make his 2023 Indy Lights testing debut on October 21^st at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with HMD Motorsports.

Graphic: RTD Media

It is a return to the INDYCAR Ladder Series for Rasmus Lindh as he joins HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing with support from GarageXYZ. Set to pilot the #10 GarageXYZ entry from the potent and championship-winning HMD Motorsports stable, Lindh will make his return to the Indy Lights paddock with one goal: to win.

“When the opportunity to join HMD Motorsports came, it was a pretty easy decision for myself and the team I have around me,” expressed Rasmus Lindh. “A huge thank you to GarageXYZ, Peter Miller, Stefan Johansson, and every single person I have in my corner. I am happy to be back, and I will not disappoint!”

Earning himself three wins, eighteen podium results, seven pole positions, and seven fast lap honors in 2018 and 2019 where he competed in both the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship and the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, Lindh chalked up a pair of vice-championship honors. With a stint in sportscar racing and a return to Indy Lights in late 2021, Lindh is now set for his 2023 season campaign with a real shot at winning that elusive championship and opportunity to level up to the NTT INDYCAR Series.

Lindh continued, “The goal has always been INDYCAR, and sometimes there is a direct path, and sometimes you must take an alternate route. I am happy to be back and am ready to get to work for myself, my team, and my partners.”

“When we learned about Rasmus and his story, the goal was clear: find any way possible to get him into a seat so the world can know about his talent. He is the real deal, and our partnership with HMD Motorsports gives us a lot of confidence in the 2023 season,” added Peter Miller, COO of GarageXYZ.

GarageXYZ is a community-led automotive brand built to provide their membership with best-in-class access to the world of motorsport. They are throwing their weight behind Rasmus Lindh after successful sponsorships with Scott Dixon at the Indianapolis 500, Julia Landauer in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Jota Sport during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Rasmus was a part of HMD Motorsports in our 2020 preseason test program and performed well, topping the charts on multiple occasions including the series test at Sebring in December,” expressed HMD Motorsports General Manager Mike Maurini. “He is a driver you want in your program rather than racing against your program. With experience in the Road to Indy, Rasmus has a real shot at taking his talents to INDYCAR in 2024.”

Rasmus Lindh will make his 2023 Indy Lights testing debut on October 21st at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with HMD Motorsports.

Graphic: RTD Media

After joining HMD Motorsports part way through the 2022 season, Kyffin Simpson will return to the team in 2023 for his sophomore year in Indy Lights. With an extensive off-season test program, including competition in IMSA events, Simpson will look to turn heads when the green flag flies at the start of the 2023 season.

This past year in his rookie Indy Lights campaign, Simpson finished the season with a best finish of fifth at Barber Motorsports Park, which he then duplicated in the first race of the Detroit Grand Prix. After moving to HMD Motorsports for the ninth round at Iowa Speedway, Simpson began to settle in with the team. Since joining the team, Simpson has been able to build a strong working relationship with the crew and will be able to carry the positive momentum into the upcoming season.

“I’m excited to continue working with a team that understands how to win. I feel I’ve progressed as a driver since joining HMD earlier this year, and I am confident we can build on that momentum to have a much stronger season.

HPD and Chip Ganassi Racing have been very supportive in the off-season, culminating in a crazy win at Petit Le Mans. It felt good to get back on the top step.

In 2023 we have the tools and the people around me to deliver a step forward in performance. Race wins and podiums are the goal.”

Moving up from karting at 15 years old, Simpson began his open-wheel career in 2020 where he competed for the first half of the season in the Formula 4 United States Championship powered by Honda, before moving up to the Formula Regional Americas Championship powered by Honda. The following season, Simpson returned to FR Americas. In his second season, Simpson dominated the field, claiming seven wins and six additional podiums on his way to winning the championship title. During the same year in 2021, Simpson also began his Road to Indy quest and competed in Indy Pro 2000 presented by Cooper Tires where he finished with three podiums and was seventh in the championship.

Just two weekends ago, Kyffin Simpson was part of the race winning GTD effort at the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Piloting an Acura NSX with a pair of co-drivers over the 10-hour event, Simpson set stint-topping lap times en route to first in GTD, as well as overall top GT finisher.

“We welcome Kyffin to the team for his first full season with HMD Motorsports,” explains HMD General Manager Mike Maurini. “Understanding what is needed to win for Kyffin and his management program has put the right people in the right places for success in 2023 and beyond.”

Graphic: RTD Media

A championship-winning driver in the Road to Indy, Christian Rasmussen will be returning to the Indy Lights program for the second season in 2023 – this time with the championship-winning team, HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing in the #6 entry. As the fourth driver announced for HMD Motorsports, Rasmussen will be one of eight drivers entered by the team.

“I am excited to get a new year of Indy Lights racing going and look forward to joining HMD Motorsports,” expressed Christian Rasmussen. “I learned a lot last year in my rookie season and was able to score a pair of victories. I am excited to work with everyone at HMD including my new engineer Yancy (Diotalevi) as we aim to hit the ground running on our first two test days later this month.”

Last season, Rasmussen entered his first Indy Lights season where he finished sixth in the championship after claiming two wins and three additional podiums. Ending the 2022 season strong, Rasmussen carries momentum into 2023 as the most recent race winner claiming the pole position and finishing on the podium’s top step in the season’s finale race at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Prior to competing in Indy Lights, Rasmussen successfully worked his way up the Road to Indy ladder. Completing two years of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship in 2019 and 2020, Rasmussen won a combined 12 races before winning the championship in 2020. He then moved up to Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires and again claimed the championship with seven wins and five additional podium results.

With a combined total of 21 wins, 13 additional podiums, and eight pole positions throughout his tenure in the Road to Indy, Rasmussen is sure to be a championship contender in the upcoming Indy Lights season and will bring an additional year of experience to the team.

“I am confident that Christian will be a championship contender in one of our cars,” explained HMD General Manager Mike Maurini. “Coming off a pair of wins in 2022, showing speed at several races, and now with a year’s worth of experience, we have very high hopes for Christian.”

Stay tuned for more news from HMD Motorsports in the very near future.

Graphic: RTD Media

After climbing the Road to Indy ladder, Nolan Siegel will be advancing to the Indy Lights Championship in 2023 driving for HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing. A race winner in the Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires and with one Indy Lights race under his belt at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Siegel has confirmed his intentions to move to the top-tier of junior open-wheel racing in North America.

Last season, after the conclusion of the Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires Championship, Siegel finished out the 2022 Indy Lights season with HMD Motorsports in the final two races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Without any prior testing in the Dallara IL-15, Siegel went out for his first Indy Lights practice and finished second against the seasoned Indy Lights field. To kick off his Indy Lights career, Siegel claimed a pair of top-ten finishes to cap-off his season and Indy Lights introduction.

“I was thrown into the deep end a little bit at Laguna Seca but enjoyed the experience and learned a lot,” explained Siegel. “The Indy Lights car is a whole new beast. It is heavier, faster, and takes a slightly different driving style. The tires had a different grip level than I was used to, and the push-to-pass option was also something new to me. After the weekend was done, I looked back and it was definitely not the results I would have wanted, but I also wouldn’t want to go into the first race of 2023 having not had the experience.”

Previously in the Road to Indy, Siegel completed three seasons of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship beginning in 2019 at the age of fourteen. Over the next two seasons, Siegel continued to improve. In his final USF2000 season, Siegel earned one win and four podiums. Last season, Siegel advanced to the Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires Championship. In his rookie season, Siegel earned two wins, four additional podiums, two pole positions and finished fourth in the championship.

After a successful first run in Indy Lights with HMD Motorsports, Siegel is set for a series of off-season testing in preparation for his first full season in Indy Lights this upcoming season.

“Nolan performed well at Laguna and during our new driver evaluation day,” added HMD Motorsports General Manager Mike Maurini. “I am expecting some big things from him in 2023 as he has surrounded himself with all the right people to have success.”

Photos: INDYCAR Media / RTD Media

Returning to the Indy Lights Championship, Danial Frost will compete in 2023 with HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing for a second consecutive season. Coming off a season that featured his first career Indy Lights victory, the Den-Jet sponsored driver is ready to continue what was started with the team as he competes for the Indy Lights Championship.

“I am excited to be back with HMD Motorsports and continue with the same program as I had in 2022,” explained Frost. “I have the opportunity for one of the first times in my career to work with the same engineer in back-to-back seasons which I feel will reap benefits. The goal is simple for us as a team in 2023, and I can’t wait to get started!”

Leading up to his Indy Lights campaign, Danial completed the lower levels of the Road to Indy ladder with a partial season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship in 2018 and two full seasons in Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires in 2019 and 2020. Prior to moving up to Indy Lights, Danial finished third in the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship as he ran a dual season that also saw him in the FR Americas Championship Powered by Honda. Since joining Indy Lights in 2021, Danial has earned one win, four additional podium results as well as three pole positions.

In his second season with HMD Motorsports, Danial Frost will return to competition with his same engineer, Mike Reggio, from the 2022 season as they continue to fight for wins and podiums. Having already developed a strong working relationship, Danial will be able to hit the ground running throughout off-season testing and into the 2023 season.

“It is great to have Danial back for a second season, and hopefully a championship-winning season,” explained HMD Motorsports General Manager Mike Maurini. “Danial returns to the team as one of the veteran drivers and a leader, so we are expecting big things from him. I know his goal is the NTT INDYCAR Series, and we hope that we can help him get there.”

Danial Frost will rejoin HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing on October 21^st for the annual Chris Griffis Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before traveling south to the picturesque Barber Motorsports Park for the second off-season test on October 24^th.

Graphic: RTD Media